The 2010-2011 Braille Reading Contests Begin

From the Editor: Need some motivation to improve your own Braille reading speed or that of your blind child or student? Between November 1 and January 4 we conduct competitions for students of all ages and adults. Read the following information to get the detail; then join the fun:

Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest: K-12

The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille, and the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children are pleased to announce the twenty-eighth annual Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest. The contest encourages children in grades K-12 to be proud of their ability to read Braille and to continually work to improve their skills.

Seven Simple Steps

Register: fill out the simple online form at <www.nfb.org/BRAL> to enter the contest.

Gather: collect leisure reading material (books, magazines, and whatever else you enjoy reading that has a title, author, and date of publication).

Log it: download the spreadsheet at <www.nfb.org/BRAL>. Save it where you will be able to access it easily, or print it and keep a hard copy log.

January 4, 2011: Louis Braille’s birthday marks the end of the contest and the last day participants can count their pages.

January 18, 2011: all final entry documentation for the regular contest and special awards must be submitted to the NFB Jernigan Institute by midnight. This includes reading logs, letters of nomination, and final entry forms.

March 2011: prizes are mailed out.

Breaking Down the Contest

Regular Contest: everyone participates in the main contest, in which contestants compete against their age peers to read the most Braille pages during the two-month reading period.

Leader Board: throughout the two-month reading period participants have the opportunity to update their “Pages Read” for a chance to get their name on the Leader Board.

Special Awards: participants may opt to compete for a special award in addition to competing in the regular contest. All of the special awards require a letter of nomination.

Braille Leaders Community Service Award: students in grades six and above who use their Braille literacy skills to conduct a community service project are eligible for this award.

Twin Vision® Award: students who use a combination of print and Braille in their leisure or academic reading are eligible for this award.

2011 Jennifer Baker Award: this award is named after Jennifer Baker, who overcame many severe disabilities to become Braille literate, was a frequent national winner in the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest, and died far too young. Applicants for this award must document the obstacles they have overcome to acquire Braille literacy skills.

Braille Readers Are Leaders Team of the Year Award: teams of two to five participants compete to read the most pages and exhibit team spirit. Teams can show team spirit in many ways, such as Twitter and Facebook posts, blogging, emails to NFB listservs, announcements at NFB chapter meetings, and other creative means.

Essay Contest: winners in the regular contest, winners of the 2011 Jennifer Baker Award, and winners of the Twin Vision Award will be eligible to enter the Braille Readers Are Leaders Essay Contest to compete for a trip to the 2011 National Federation of the Blind Convention.

Cash: checks in the amount of $50 will be awarded to the winners (first through third place) in each category of the regular contest, and all winners of special awards, excluding the Team of the Year Award.

Team

Plaque: a plaque will be given to the one or two teams that win the Team of the Year Award.

National Recognition: the team(s) that wins the Team of the Year Award will become the spokes-team for next year’s contest.

Twelve Lucky Winners

Winners of the Braille Readers Community Service Award and winners of the Braille Readers Are Leaders Essay Contest will receive an eight-day, seven-night trip for themselves and a parent or guardian to the 2011 National Federation of the Blind national convention in Orlando, Florida.

Remember: whether you are competing as an individual or as part of a team, the goal is to read as many Braille pages as you can.

Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest: Adult

The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute and the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille are pleased to announce the second annual Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest for adults. This contest promotes the use of Braille in recreational reading among blind adults as a means to maintain and improve their skills. Braille-reading individuals eighteen years of age or older who are no longer enrolled in compulsory education in the USA and Canada are eligible to compete in the contest. Adults with various levels of experience reading Braille are welcome to join in the fun.

Seven Simple Steps

Register: fill out the simple online form at <www.nfb.org/BRAL> to enter the contest.

Gather: collect leisure reading material (books, magazines, and whatever else you enjoy reading that has a title, author, and date of publication).

Log it: download the spreadsheet at <www.nfb.org/BRAL> and save it where you will be able to access it easily or contact us for a hard copy Braille reading log.

January 4, 2011: Louis Braille’s birthday marks the end of the contest and the last day participants can count their pages.

January 18, 2011: all final entry documentation for the regular contest and special awards must be submitted to the NFB Jernigan Institute by midnight. This includes reading logs, letters of nomination, and final entry forms.

March 2011: prizes are mailed out.

Breaking Down the Contest

Regular Contest: everyone participates in the main contest, in which contestants compete against other adults with the same level of proficiency to read the most Braille pages during the two-month reading period. The five categories are beginner adults, reading 80 or fewer words per minute (wpm); Intermediate adults, reading between 81-160 wpm; advanced adults, reading between 161-220 wpm; expert adults, reading over 221 wpm; sighted adults who read Braille.

Leader Board: throughout the two-month reading period participants have the opportunity to update their “Pages Read” for a chance to get their names on the Leader Board.

Braille Readers Are Leaders Team of the Year Award: participants may opt to compete as a member of a team in addition to competing in the regular contest. Teams of two to five participants compete to read the most pages and exhibit team spirit. Teams can show team spirit in many ways, such as Twitter and Facebook posts, blogging, emails to NFB listservs, announcements at NFB chapter meetings, and other creative means.

Cash: winners (first through third place) in each category of the regular contest and the fourth through tenth place beginners will be entered into various drawings for cash prizes of $25 to $100. See the official contest rules for details.

Teams

Plaque: Plaques will be given to the one or two teams that win the Team of the Year Award.

National Recognition: the team(s) that wins the Team of the Year Award will become the spokes-team for next year’s contest.

Remember: whether you are competing as an individual or as part of a team, the goal is to read as many Braille pages as you can.